diff --git a/kgo.go b/kgo.go
index ef0b650..0197d9a 100644
--- a/kgo.go
+++ b/kgo.go
@@ -196,8 +196,10 @@ func (k *Broker) Publish(ctx context.Context, topic string, msg *broker.Message,
 
 func (k *Broker) publish(ctx context.Context, msgs []*broker.Message, opts ...broker.PublishOption) error {
 	k.RLock()
-	if !k.connected {
-		k.RUnlock()
+	ok := k.connected
+	k.RUnlock()
+
+	if !ok {
 		k.Lock()
 		c, err := k.connect(ctx, k.kopts...)
 		if err != nil {
@@ -208,7 +210,6 @@ func (k *Broker) publish(ctx context.Context, msgs []*broker.Message, opts ...br
 		k.connected = true
 		k.Unlock()
 	}
-	k.RUnlock()
 
 	options := broker.NewPublishOptions(opts...)
 	records := make([]*kgo.Record, 0, len(msgs))